Conventional face-to-face interaction is an interaction between two or more human beings who are physically close enough to each other so as to permit some form of mutual perceptual contact and reciprocal behavioral exchange. Such interactions are immediate and there is no barrier between the interacting parties. There is immediacy of time and proximity of space, which permits mutuality in perception and reciprocity in behaviors of both parties. Face-to-face interaction is an important phenomenon to human life because it is a conduit through which individuals influence each other in their daily lives. Face-to-face interactions are the primary experiences that form the foundation of human life.
In contrast to the conventional face-to-face interaction, conventional messaging interaction (e.g., letter writing with paper letters mailed through a postal service), is an example of an interaction where there is both a time and space barrier between participants. There are fundamental differences between the conventional face-to-face interaction and the conventional messaging interaction. The time and space barriers slow down the interaction process and the interaction proceeds in a step-wise process. For example, a message is sent from a sender to a responder, and the responder does not respond to the message until after the message has been received by the responder. The time delay between sender and responder allows the responder time to reflect on his/her response to the message. Because of the separation in time and space, the sender of a message cannot immediately monitor the impact of the message on the receiver. This type of conventional interaction can be slow and cumbersome.
The conventional messaging interaction has dominated human relationships throughout human history, and the media employed (letters, books, accounting ledgers, and documents of all kinds) generate valuable historical records. Such records not only define the relationship between parties but also how the relationship evolved. A good example of this is a correspondence between two people who exchange messages, such as letters, for a length of time. The reactions to each other's viewpoints about different issues can be examined in detail through the analysis of the written documentation in which they exchanged viewpoints. Similar time delay barriers exist when using modern technology, such as, for example, e-mail, instant messaging, texting, blogging, social network posting and responding to the posting.